Ironer control mechanism



April 4, 1939. M. s. VINCENT IRONER CONTROL MECHANISM Filed Oei, 13,1957 MWI /f HW M/@Wlmm i @qv-ENTER- lnlW" mi Patented Apr. 4, 1939PATENT OFFICE IRONER. CONTROL MECHANISM Merlin S. Vincent, Newton, Iowa,assignor to Automatic Washer Company, Newton, Iowa, a corporation ofDelaware Application October 13, 1937, Serial No. 168,710

4 Claims;

This invention pertains to control mechanisms for controlling theoperation of an ironing machine or the like and, more particularly, to acontrol mechanism which may be used for starting and stopping the ironerroll and moving the ironing shoe into and out of ironing engagement withthe roll.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a control mechanism ofsuch character that the machine operator may operate the control witheither of her knees, the device being so constructed and arranged thatthe portion of the control which is engaged by the operators knee may bequickly adjusted to accommodate operation by either knee, the controlalso being of such nature and construction that movement of an operatingarm or knee engagement portion in either of opposite directions willeffect the control. f

Other objects as well as the advantages and uses of the invention willbe or should become apparent and understood after reading the followingdescription and claims and after viewing the drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation of the upper portion of theironing machine including a portion of the roll and the driving headthereof, showing a preferred form of my invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the righthand Aend of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1; and

Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are detail views illustrating three positions of arocking member utilized in the control, the positions shown in Figs. 3and 5 being operated positions and the position in Fig. 4 being a normalposition.

The ironing table or cabinet is represented only by the top portion 2which supports a casing 3 which houses the power mechanism for drivingthe ironing roll 4 and operating the ironing shoe (not shown) and whichalso houses certain control mechanisms whereby the operation of the rolland the operation of the ironing shoe may be controlled. In the presentinstance the mechanism embodying the -invention is illustrated asutilized for the control of a device which may move the ironing shoetoward and from the roll and which may also be used to start and stopthe roll itself.

As illustrated, a control member 5 mounted upon a shaft (not shown) forrotation therewith in the direction of the dotted line arrow shown inFig. 2, has a pair of lugs 6 either of which may be engaged by a hookedstop l forming oneY arm of a bell crank lever 8 which may be xed upon apivoted pin 9 mounted within the housing 3. The hook 1 of the bell cranklever 8 is adapted to be moved momentarily from the full line to thedotted line position shown in Fig. 1 5 to permit the escapement of oneof the lugs 6, the hook 'I being permitted to return immediately to itsinitial position whereby to engage the succeeding lug 6 as the samerotates around through an arc of 180. -Mechanism of this sort is wellunderstood in the art.

The arm II of bell crank lever 8 is pivotally connected with what maybetermed a pull rod I2, the arm II having an elongated slot I3 forl thepassage of the bent end of the rod I2 which 1.5-

may be held therein and therethrough by a pin I4 as will be understood.The lower end of the pull rod I2 is rigidly secured to a yoke I5 each ofthe arms I6 of which are slotted as shown at I1 for the reception of apin I8 therein and there- 20 through. The pins I8` are secured toopposite sides at one end of a member I9 which is' pivotally supportedin a bracket 2I secured in any suitable manner to the frame 2. The otherend of member I9 is secured to a crank arm 22 which in turn is pivotallyconnected to what may be termed a push-pull rod 23 which may be slidablysupported for movements in either direction longitudinally of its axisin one or more brackets 24 suitably secured to the frame 2. It will 30be apparent from the foregoing that if the pushpull rod 23 is moved tothe right, viewing Figs.

1 and 5, the crank 22 will be rocked to the right which will depress theright hand pin I8 and raise the left hand pin I8. Since the pivot axis35 of member I9 is xed, and since the pins I8 normally rest as shown inFig. 4 at the bottoms of the slots I'I, the rocking movement of thecrank 22 will cause a downward pull upon the rod I2, which in turn willswing the bell crank 40 lever 8 about its pivot in a counter-clockwisedirection thereby to release one of the lugs 6. Likewise, if thepush-pull rod 23 lbe moved to the left viewing Fig. 1, the left hand pinI8 will similarly move the rod I2 downwardly and perform the sameoperation.

In order to move the push-pull rod 23 to the right or to the left, it isprovided with a handle 25 which is located in the path of movement of anoperators knee and depending upon the desire of the operator may beoperated by a nudge or a lsidewise motion of either knee. In order vthatthe handle may be disposed where most satisfactory for operation by theoperators knee, it is secured to a block 26 adapted to slide freely usliV upon the push-pull rod 23 and with a pair of spring arms 21 each ofwhich is provided with an aperture through which the push pull rod 23Amay slide freely when the .depending ends of the arms 21 are pinchedtoward one another but which will bind against the marginal portions ofthe apertures when the depending portions of the arms 27 are released.The construction is very similary to the common transom rod stop. Bymanipulating the spring arms 21" an operator may dispose the handle inits most convenient position for use and where the handle may beoperated by either knee and the controloperated by moving the handle ineither direction.

It is believed that the constructic'm and opera-V tion will be fullyunderstood from the foregoing and that further description thereof isunnecessary. Itis to be noted, however, that while I have illustratedand described the preferred form oi" the invention, the same issusceptible of various other forms and of various modifications and maybe applied for other uses. Consequently, I do not desire to be limitedexcept by the spiritiof theY invention and the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

l. In afcontrol mechanism of thecharacter described having a releasablemember adapted normallyfto engage another member for-retaining the.latter in predetermined position, said releasable member being movablebetween a released and` an engaging position with respect to said othermember, means for operating said releasable-member comprising, a pullrod, a forked member secured to said rod, saidiorked member havingTclosed slots in its arms, a rockable member mounted upon aV xed pivotbetween said arms and'having portions disposed in and movabile betweenthe ends of said slots, a'crank se ,cured relative to said rockablemember, and

means including. a push-pull rod connected with' said crank for rockingsaid rockable member.`

2. In a.` control mechanism of the.- character described having areleasablev member. adapted. normally` to engagey anothermember forvretaining,

the latter in predetermined position, said releasable member beingmovable between a released and an engaging position with respect to saidother member, means for operating said releasable member comprising, apull rod, a forked member secured to said rod, said forked member havingclosed slots in its arms, a rockable member mounted upon a Xed pivotbetween saidY arms and having portions disposed: in and movablebetweenthe ends of said slots, a crank secured relative to said rockablemember, a pushpull rod connected with said crank for rockingsaidrockable-member, a handle, and an innitely variable spring clamp forsecuring said handle to said push-pullrod.

3'. In a control mechanism of the lcharacter described, a releasablemember adapted to normally, engagea clutch member to hold it ininoperative position, said releasable member being pivotally'movable todisengage the clutch member into` operating position, manual means-foroperatingv said releasable member comprising a-forked pull rod, closedslots in said forks, a bell crank engaging the endsv of said slots onone end, a push-pull rodv engaging-the opposite end of the bell` crank,anda vertical handle adjustablyattached to said push-pull rod, saidhandle being adjustably held by a dual-armedclamp spring releasable bypinching the arms together.

4. In acontrol mechanism of the character .Y

described, a releasable member adaptedV to normally engage a clutchmember to hold it ininoperative position, said releasable member beingpivotally movable to .disengage the clutch member into operatingposition, manual means for operating said releasable member comprising avertical pull rod, a bell crank pivotally connected-,to said pull rod onone end, ahorizontal pushpull rod attached to the opposite end of saidbell crank, andzavertical handle adjustably attached toisaidzpush-.pull`rod, said handlezbeing adjustably held;byadualarmed clamp.springlreleasable-by pinching-the .arms together.

BERLIN S. VINCENT..

